The *marketing as a force for good* community came together for an inspiring dialogue this evening to share how we can move past generic “green” marketing and create a brand people truly believe in.
Given by Kat Irwin, Founder of Kat Irwin Design, this live-streamed event brought together changemakers from across the MFFG community to explore marketing’s potential as a catalyst for good.
Let’s dig into the event recap. ⤵
Thank you, Kat, for joining us and sharing your passion and insights with the movement! 🩵 💙
The challenge of sustainable messaging ˎˊ˗
Kat began the talk by pointing out a core paradox: while studies show that 70% of people already care about sustainability, sustainable options are not the default choice.
She stated that for sustainable businesses to achieve real impact, they must reframe sustainability as normal, desirable, and relatable.
The resistance to sustainable buying stems from three issues:
Sacrifice: Sustainable options are often seen as a punishment because they’re more expensive (e.g., non-dairy milk upcharges).
Invisible Impact: Efforts like buying a paper straw or a reusable bag feel pointless because the individual customer doesn’t see a significant impact on global issues, leading to feelings of frustration.
Niche Perception: Sustainability is still viewed as a concern only for “do-gooders” or a niche market.
Kat also criticised common mistakes in current sustainable marketing, which often focus too much on statistics over emotions, utilise eco-shaming or guilt-tripping, and cause audience fatigue with constant “doom and gloom” messages.
The power of purpose-driven messaging ˎˊ˗
Kat argued that just as historical marketing campaigns (like Listerine) changed public behaviour by appealing to desires, marketers today have the power to make sustainability the new norm.
The solution is to connect sustainability to a consumer’s deeper emotional desires—beyond the product’s features—by looking at fundamental human needs (e.g. using Maslow’s hierarchy).
Ethical, sustainable marketing should be a mission that is fun, relatable, and joyful, focusing on fulfilling customer desires rather than manipulating them through fear or shame. The key is to position the sustainable choice as valuable, not as an expensive extra.
She highlighted two brands successfully implementing this strategy:
Allbirds: Instead of leading with its eco-friendly mission, the shoe company leads with the customer’s priority: comfort, durability, and waterproofing. Sustainability then becomes the added value and the default position, which is subtly layered in to build trust (”We’re a shoe brand that happens to be sustainable”).
Oatly: This brand invites customers on its mission by using human, relatable messaging and fighting a “common enemy”—the dairy industry—without resorting to guilt-tripping or showing graphic images.
Just the beginning ✊ˎˊ˗
Events like this demonstrate that sustainable marketing is getting known, and the marketing as a force for good community is growing.
For creative professionals seeking to align their work with their values, initiatives like ours provide both inspiration and practical pathways forward to create a better world for all.
Thank you, everyone, for coming to today’s live stream to learn more about the marketing as a force for good movement and what is happening in our ecosystem!
So, what’s next?
Can marketing be a force for good in the world? Let’s start a conversation. ⤵
See you soon,
Megan
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Disclaimer: I’m a busy person, so this newsletter was partially written with generative AI. I used it to repopulate the event script and create a cohesive copy. If the content is incorrect, please reach out to me.
